Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht is an army featured in Warfare 1944. Their campaign is only available when playing on Armor Games. Description As in the first world war, Germany's armed forces of the Wehrmacht found themselves on the defensive during the Normandy campaign of 1944. Well prepared with defensive structures, the Wehrmacht dug in with one goal at this point in the war, defending their homeland. History The Reichwehr, the self-defense force of the Weimar Republic, was renamed the Wehrmacht in 1935 after the Nazi party came to power, who also accelerated its expansion. It was dissolved in 1945, after the end of World War II. Its successors were the West German Bundeswehr (1955) and East German Nationale Volksarmee (1956). Strictly speaking, Wehrmacht refers to all German armed forces, but it is mostly used to refer to the Wehrmacht Heer, the land forces. Uniform Heer troops typically wore M43 field tunics and trousers, both in Feldgrau, along with the M1942 model Stahlhelms. Weapons 'Karabiner 98k' The successor to the WW1-era Gewehr 98, the Karabiner 98k was the service rifle of the Wehrmacht from 1935 to 1945. It was one of the last in the long line of Mauser rifles, and was reliable and highly accurate. Modified variants are still in use today by both civilian hunters and many Third-World armies. Used by most German infantry, aside from Mortars and Officers. 'MP40' A continuation of the MP38, the MP40 was basically a simplified version to ease manufacture, and possessed the same high reliability. Despite what is often seen in movies, it was generally only issued to Sturmtruppen and Officers. After the end of the war, captured MP40s were often redistributed to paramilitary and irregular forces, with some in use as late as 1999. 'Stielhandgranate' The Model 24 grenade, better known as the Stielhandgranate, was the standard hand grenade of the German Army in both World Wars. The simpler Model 43 variant replaced it halfway through WW2. Its appearance earned it the nicknames "stick grenade" and "potato masher", and it has become one of the most recognizable infantry weapons of the 20th century. It is used by Riflemen and Sturmtruppen. 'MG 34' First produced and adopted in 1934, the MG 34 was a highly versatile weapon that could perform nearly every role a machine gun would be needed in. Whilst it was replaced in infantry support roles by the more (in)famous and easier to manufacture MG 42, it would remain as the exclusive secondary weapon of tanks, as well as with Machine Gun Teams that hadn't received the MG 42. 'Panzerschreck' An improved copy of captured M1 Bazookas, the Panzerschreck was first adopted in 1943 to counter Soviet tanks (primarily the T-34), which it was highly successful at. However, it produced large amounts of toxic smoke when fired, making it dangerous to use while in an enclosed space, as well as revealing the position of the Panzerschreck Team wielding it. 'Granatwerfer 34' First adopted in 1934, the Granatwerfer 34 was the standard issue mortar for the Wehrmacht throughout World War II. It acquired a reputation for great accuracy and a high rate of fire during the war, though the skill of the Mortar teams using them certainly played a part in it. It had a few variants, including a lightened one with a shortened barrel. 'Panzer III' First adopted in 1939, the Panzer III was intended both as the primary tank of the Panzer divisions and to specialize in combat against other tanks, as opposed to the infantry-support focused Panzer IV. In practice, it became the other way around due to the difficulty of upgunning the Panzer III, and it would spend the latter half of the war in secondary roles. 'Bf/Me 109' In 1937, the Luftwaffe adopted the Bf/Me 109, which soon saw service during the ongoing Spanish Civil War. One of the most advanced fighters of the time, it became the primary fighter plane of the Luftwaffe throughout World War 2. It also served in nearly every other role an aircraft could fulfill, and variants would serve in the air forces of several nations even after the war. Airstrikes can be called in by Officers. 'Artillery' The Germans used a large variety of artillery pieces during World War II ranging from the (in)famous and versatile 8.8cm Flak and the heavy but powerful 15cm sFH 18, to the light and maneuverable 10.5cm leFH 18. Artillery strikes can be called in by Officers. 'Nebelhandgranate 34' Basically a Model 24 Stielhandgranate modified to produce a smoke screen, it contained a chemical that produced smoke when burned rather than the original's explosive filler, which could be used to mark areas or to conceal the movement of friendly units. Used by Sturmtruppen. Units 'Riflemen' A 4-man squad equipped with bolt-action rifles and grenades. Effective against other infantry. 'Sturmtruppen' A 4-man squad equipped with both rifles and sub-machine guns, along with grenades and smoke grenades. They are effective against infantry, even those in cover. 'MG34 Team' A 2-man team equipped with a bolt-action rifle and a machine gun. They are highly effective against infantry when in cover. 'Sniper' A skilled sharpshooter equipped with a scoped bolt-action rifle. Highly accurate but slow firing. Effective against infantry at long range. 'Bazooka' A 2-man team equipped with a bolt-action rifle and a rocket launcher. They are effective against armor, but are highly vulnerable to return fire. 'Mortar' A soldier carrying a mortar, allowing him to deliver light artillery fire upon the enemy. Easily killed if the enemy manages to reach him. 'Officer' An officer carrying a sub-machine gun who can call in artillery or air strikes, and also provides a damage boost to surrounding infantry. 'Tank' A tank equipped with a 50mm main gun and a 7.92mm machine gun. It is strong against all infantry but is vulnerable to fire support. The engine, machine gun or main gun can be damaged, disabling it or reducing its effectiveness. Category:Armies